Studying from home can be a challenge, especially if you share your space with family or roommates. However, studying effectively and efficiently is imperative to staying on track and achieving success in any nursing program, especially our accelerated nursing program in Indianapolis. Here are a few quick tips to maximizing your study time at home:
1. Create a study space. One of the biggest challenges of studying from home is creating a space where you can work effectively without interruptions or distractions. Creating a space that is solely devoted to your study time can be a great way to focus and mentally prepare for learning and retaining information. Whether it’s an entire home office or just a corner of your living room, make sure your study space is comfortable, quiet, and has good lighting. You’ll want to make sure that you have all of your necessary study supplies neatly organized for use as needed. Finally, make your learning environment fun and inspirational by adding personal touches that will keep you focused on your ultimate goal of becoming a nurse – pictures, quotes or even a stereo to play your favorite study music.
2. Stick to a schedule. In order succeed in a program that relies on at-home study, it is essential to set aside structured work time each day and make it a priority. Depending on your schedule and study preferences, the time of day that you chose to study may vary, but the important part is that you make a schedule and stick to it. Once you have established a schedule that works for you, get your family and friends on board. Let them know when you’ll be working, and ask them to refrain from interrupting or distracting you during that time. Finally, unplug from the distractions of social media. Yes, this may mean logging out of Facebook or Pinterest for the period of time that you’ve set aside to study, or maybe even leaving your phone in another room. Don’t worry – it will be waiting for you after you’ve mastered that pathophysiology chapter!
3. Use time management tricks. Even with a focused study space and a structured schedule, time management can be a challenge when studying at home without a plan in place. A great way to steadily accomplish all of your work within your scheduled study time is to break things down into smaller tasks. Rather than trying to read five chapters at a time, break one chapter down into different sections. Then, take short breaks between tasks. Don’t try to power through everything all at once. Once you reach a stopping point that makes sense, have a mini-celebration of your accomplishment. Take a quick stretch, get a cup of tea or go for a walk outside. Avoid watching TV, checking in with social media or getting into lengthy conversations with friends or family. All of these things can lead to prolonged breaks, making it harder to get back to studying. Try to limit your breaks to 3-5 minutes, and do something restorative with that time. Finally, it may be a good idea to review what you’ve learned at the end of your study session. This step is crucial to learning and retaining new information, and it will give you a sense of accomplishment for the day.
These tips will help you maximize your time spent studying and keep a happy and healthy balance between your nursing school workload and the rest of your life. If you're ready to get started, contact us today!